Online Betting / Betting Strategies / Football Betting Strategy: How to Approach Betting on Football Markets

Football Betting Strategy: How to Approach Betting on Football Markets

James Leeland
Editor
Fact checked by: Jim Knight
Publish Date: 06.03.2024

Embarking on the journey of football betting requires more than just the love of the sport. It necessitates a clear football betting strategy, facilitated by a deep understanding of the game and the ability to make informed decisions under pressure.

To enhance your overall betting experience, it’s crucial to adopt personal strategies for football betting. These strategies, updated by our experts, encompass various aspects of the game including live soccer betting strategies as well as specific betting options such as Over/Under. By understanding and employing these tactics, you can tailor a betting style that aligns with your preferred markets.

Football Betting Strategies

People often ask us, ‘What is the best football betting strategy?’ Well, developing effective football betting strategies requires a combination of in-depth knowledge, strategic analysis, and careful planning, which can be complemented by the best football betting tips listed on our site. If you are looking for some strategies, this section should be useful:

Look to the Lower Leagues

Frequently, the value in football betting is found away from the spotlight of the major leagues, in the lower divisions. Here, the information asymmetry between bookmakers and bettors who have specialised knowledge can be more pronounced. Lower league games tend to have less media coverage and fewer analysts working on setting perfect odds, which can lead to mispriced bets. Moreover, these leagues often have teams with less consistent performance, increasing the potential for upsets. Bettors who have done their homework may take advantage of the higher odds and can find significant value in these markets.

Navigating Live Betting Odds in Football

Live betting, also known as in-play betting, presents punters with the exciting opportunity to place bets as the action unfolds on the pitch. Developing useful live betting strategies requires not only an understanding of the game but also a keen eye for shifts in momentum and an ability to predict possible outcomes based on the current state of play. Vigilance is key, as odds fluctuate rapidly based on events such as goals, penalties, red cards, or even the strategic substitutions made by a coach. To capitalise on these moving odds, bettors must stay alert, assess the situation in real time, and make informed decisions quickly to secure value before it disappears.

Understanding the Lay the Draw System in Football Betting

The Lay the Draw (LTD) betting strategy is popular among bettors who seek to bet on football matches where a draw is a likely outcome. In this system, one bets against the draw—laying the draw—with the expectation that at least one team will score, which will increase the odds of a draw. The strategy involves placing a lay bet on the draw before the match begins, and then, ideally, waiting for a goal to be scored. Once a goal is on the board, odds for the draw will increase, providing the opportunity to back the draw at higher odds and lock in a profit regardless of the match outcome. This method requires careful monitoring of the game, a sound understanding of match dynamics, and precise timing.

There’s no doubt that the importance of betting at the best odds cannot be overstated here. That’s because the LTD strategy is all about exploiting market inefficiencies. The goal of this betting system is to lay the draw at a lower price and then back it after odds have increased. However, for this strategy to be effective, bettors must be able to accurately predict when a goal will be scored or when odds for the draw will increase significantly. This requires a certain level of skill, knowledge, and experience in football betting.

Critical Football Betting Markets to Target

Understanding the most popular football betting markets is key to developing the best football betting strategy for your approach. Here are some of the prime markets to consider. All the good football betting sites will have access to these options, so knowing the difference between the main football markets is a great way to narrow down your approach.

Betting MarketDescription
Match Result (1X2)This is the most basic form of football betting where you bet on the outcome of the match, with three possibilities: home win (1), draw (X), or away win (2).
Both Teams to Score (BTTS)This market allows you to bet on whether both teams will score at least one goal in the match.
Draw No Bet (DNB)In this market, your stake is returned if the match results in a draw.
Over/Under GoalsHere, you bet on whether the total number of goals scored in the match will be over or under a specified number.
Asian HandicapThis market tries to level the playing field by assigning a goal handicap to the teams. The team expected to win will start with a handicap of -1, -2, etc., goals, while the underdog will start with a handicap of +1, +2, etc., goals.
Correct ScoreThis allows you to bet on the exact final score of the match.
First Goal Scorer/Last Goal ScorerYou can bet on which player will score the first or the last goal in the match.
Half-Time/Full-TimeThis market requires you to predict the result of the match at both half-time and full-time. You can bet on a win-win, win-draw, draw-win, or draw-draw outcome.
Double ChanceSimilar to 1X2, but here you can bet on two out of three possible outcomes (home win or draw, away win or draw, home win or away win).

Novel Betting Markets

The beauty of this sport is the sheer diversity of unique betting markets on offer. The best strategy considers these novel bets as well because they offer different betting avenues.

Betting MarketDescription
CornersBet on the number of corners in a match.
CardsPredict the total number of yellow and red cards shown during a match.
Goalscorer MarketsApart from first/last goal scorer, you can also bet on anytime goal scorers, multiple goalscorers, and even no goal scorer.
Special MarketsThese include betting on the number of substitutions, the time of the first/last goal scored, penalties awarded/scored/missed, and many more.
Futures BetsPredict the outcome of a competition before it begins. This could be picking the tournament winner or top scorer.
Proposition BetsThese are novelty bets that don’t directly involve the outcome of a match. Examples include betting on which team will have more ball possession, how many goals will be scored in total during a tournament, or even the colour of the coach’s outfit.

Now you have a clearer sense of the variety of markets on offer, let’s have a look at the key leagues and competitions you could aim to target as part of your overall strategy for football betting.

Major Leagues and Competitions to Consider

In the realm of football or sports betting strategy in general, understanding the various leagues and competitions is vital as it can greatly influence your betting strategy by allowing you to narrow in on the ones that you actually enjoy or care about, as taking them all on at the same time would probably be a bit overwhelming.

Familiarising yourself with specific leagues or events is a big part of how value betting works because the odds can vary greatly between each competition. Here are some key leagues and betting opportunities to consider in your strategy:

  • English Premier League (EPL): Known for its competitiveness, the EPL offers countless betting opportunities due to the frequency of surprising results.
  • UEFA Champions League: Europe’s premier club competition, where the continent’s elite teams battle it out, often resulting in high-scoring matches.
  • La Liga: Spain’s top division is known for its technical style of play, providing unique betting opportunities, especially in the goalscorer markets.
  • Bundesliga: Germany’s top division often features high-scoring games, making over/under goal markets a popular choice.
  • Serie A: Italy’s top league is known for its defensive style of play, where betting on fewer goals can be a profitable strategy.
  • FIFA World Cup: This prestigious international competition can offer value in the futures markets, such as predicting tournament winners and top goal scorers.
  • Euro Cup: Held every four years, the Euro Cup is another popular international tournament where betting options range from predicting group winners to individual player performances.

While these are some of the major leagues and competitions, there are countless others that offer unique betting opportunities. Now, we’ll take a look at the best way to approach pre-match and live football betting.

Final Words on the Best Football Betting Strategies

Finding the best football betting strategies requires a mix of knowledge, strategic thinking, and a bit of luck. As you venture into this exciting activity, remember that the strategies discussed here are not set in stone. It’s crucial to stay flexible, continuously learn, and adapt your approach as you gain more experience. Most importantly, the journey should be enjoyable. After all, football is a sport that brings joy to millions of people across the globe.

As you move forward, we invite you to explore our other resources at Odds Portal to enhance your betting skills further. We’ve designed them to help you make informed decisions and enjoy the thrilling world of football betting.

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Football Betting Strategy FAQ

⚽ Why is it important to have a football betting strategy (soccer)?

Developing a betting strategy for football is crucial for bringing structure and discipline to your betting behaviour and avoids impulsive and emotion-driven bets. By leveraging statistical data and understanding the different betting types, you can make informed decisions and mitigate potential losses.

🥅 What are the best football (soccer) betting markets for strategies?

There are various football betting markets to build strategies around. The ‘Match Result’ market is arguably the most straightforward option, where you predict the outcome of the match. The ‘Both Teams to Score’ market is another popular option, where bettors wager on whether both teams will score at least one goal.

🏆 What are the key leagues and competitions to build your football betting strategy around?

Building a successful betting strategy involves choosing the right leagues and competitions. The English Premier League offers a wealth of betting opportunities with matches played almost every week. Spain’s La Liga, Germany’s Bundesliga, and Italy’s Serie A also attract substantial betting action. For international competitions, the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship are key events that draw immense betting interest.

🤔 How does pre-match football (soccer) betting work?

Pre-match betting involves placing bets on a football match before it begins. The most common pre-match markets include betting on the match outcome, total goals and both teams to score. Pre-match betting allows bettors to analyse factors such as team form and weather conditions which can significantly influence the outcome of the match.

⁉️ How does live football (soccer) betting work?

Live football betting, also known as in-play or in-running betting, involves placing bets on a football match while it’s ongoing. This form of betting is dynamic and offers a wide range of markets, including next team to score and time of next goal. Live betting allows bettors to respond in real-time to events happening during the match.